While everybody outside of the US has been able to mix and match iPhone and wireless operator, the iPhone was still tied to a single carrier in the US. Today, Verizon and Apple announced the much-hyped Verizon iPhone 4. While the rest of the world collectively yawns, this is good news for American consumers, since there will be more competition, and thus, more choice. Edit: Eh, the other way around. First choice, then competition.

I suspect the Verizon support is incidental to the market potential in Asia for a CDMA iPhone and the rising Android tide in those markets. I really couldn't see Apple producing a model for Verizon alone, wouldn't fit their MO.

The timing seems odd though. Refresh is coming up in 6 months, after waiting all these years, I'm surprised they didn't hold off until the next product launch to bring Verizon into the fold. Seems to me they're limiting launch appeal this late in the product cycle.

But then again, Apple's sales are somewhat cyclical too, and typically drops towards and into Q2, so maybe this is an attempt to bolster those numbers heading into the product refresh. And I certainly can't see them delaying the refresh to accommodate the Verizon launch.